³Donald Trump has announced that discussions with China over a possible deal involving TikTok are set to begin on Monday or Tuesday, stating that the United States “pretty much” has a deal in place for the sale of the popular short-video app.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday, the US president said, “I think we’re gonna start Monday or Tuesday … talking to China, perhaps President Xi or one of his representatives – but we pretty much have a deal.”
Trump added that he and Xi Jinping had recently invited each other for state visits, saying he might travel to China or host the Chinese leader in the United States.
The prospective deal centres on China-based tech firm ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, which has 170 million users in the US. Trump has extended the deadline for ByteDance to divest TikTok’s US assets to 17 September, giving the company an additional 90 days to either finalise a sale or face a ban.
A plan had previously been under development to spin off TikTok’s US operations into a new company, majority-owned and operated by American investors. However, talks stalled after Beijing signalled resistance, following Trump’s imposition of steep new tariffs on Chinese goods earlier this year.
On Friday, Trump acknowledged that the proposed deal would likely require approval from China. “I’m not confident, but I think so,” he said when asked about Beijing’s likely response. “President Xi and I have a great relationship, and I think it’s good for them. I think the deal is good for China and it’s good for us.”
The September deadline marks Trump’s third executive order aimed at delaying the ban or securing the sale of TikTok. His first such order was issued on his first day in office, following a Supreme Court decision upholding the ban. A second order came in April, setting a deadline of 19 June before the most recent extension was granted.
Tiktok reacts
TikTok, in a statement issued Friday, thanked both President Trump and Vice President JD Vance for their involvement. “We are grateful for President Trump’s leadership,” the company said, adding that it would continue to work with Vance’s office “to come to an agreement”.
However, the move has faced criticism from across the political aisle. Democratic Senator Mark Warner, vice-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, accused Trump of circumventing legal processes through the use of executive orders. “This is a matter of national security,” Warner said. “The president can’t continue to sidestep the law and expect no consequences.”
